Wear Behaviour and Friction Property of SiCp/Al Composites at Elevated Wear Environment Temperature

Abstract

The effects of sliding speed and wear environment temperature (hereafter denoted as temperature) on the wear behaviour and friction coefficient of SiC particle reinforced A16061 composites (SiCp/Al) were studied using wear and friction test of a ring on disc type, and difference of wear mechanism in terms of temperature was also examined by a microscopic observation of worn surfaces. Thin surface layer (TSL) formed on the worn surface during the experiment was enhanced with increase of temperature. However, such a TSL was cracked due to point contact between the counter material and coarse SiC particles (and/or SiC clusters) existing on the worn surface of the SiCp/Al. Contour of worn surfaces became rougher with increase of temperature and sliding speed. Wear mechanism of the AA6061 changed from abrasive wear into adhesive wear at 300°C while for the SiCp/Al, wear mechanism did not changed in the test conditions. That is, abrasive wear was maintained up to 300°C. Due to the presence of SiC particles, Friction coefficient of the SiCp/Al was larger than that of the AA6061 regardless of the temperature. However, scatter of friction coefficient against temperature was smaller in the SiCp/Al than in the AA6061. Furthermore, the weight loss, the difference of specimen weight before and after the experiment, under the severest test condition was less in the SiCp/Al than in the AA6061.